Trudeau convenes emergency meeting to discuss N.W.T. wildfires
Thu, August 17, 2023
Heavy smoke from nearby wildfires fills the sky in Yellowknife on Tuesday. (Angela Gzowski/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is convening a high-level emergency meeting to discuss the wildfire situation in the Northwest Territories.
On Wednesday Yellowknife residents were ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approached. The extraordinary evacuation order affects nearly 22,000 people.
According to his itinerary, Trudeau, who has been on vacation in Tofino, B.C., will convene the Incident Response Group, made up of high-ranking officials and cabinet ministers.
A source speaking on background said it's the most serious type of meeting the prime minister can hold.
The Incident Response Group is described as "a dedicated, emergency committee that will convene in the event of a national crisis or during incidents elsewhere that have major implications for Canada" and has previously met on how to handle the 2022 blockades in Ottawa, the shooting down of Flight PS752 in Iran and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
A spokesperson for the Department of National Defence said Thursday they don't have details yet on what role it will play in the emergency evacuations. The Canadian Armed Forces has about 120 members deployed to the territory.
"Basically, the situation is very fluid and evolving quickly," said Jessica Lamirande.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has four aircraft that could help with evacuations and one on standby. They include:
One CC-130 J Hercules in based in Yellowknife.
One CC-138 Twin Otter in based in Yellowknife
Two CH-146 Griffon helicopters in based in Yellowknife.
One CH-146 Griffon helicopter based in Edmonton on 12 hours' notice to move.
Several CC-130J Hercules transport aircraft sit on the tarmac at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. The military are sending pre-operation troops to help out with wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The plane will land at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.
A CC-130J Hercules transport aircraft sit on the tarmac at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on May 4, 2016. A similar aircraft is in Yellowknife. (Lars Hagberg/Canadian Press)
Earlier this week Defence Minister Bill Blair also authorized the Canadian Armed Forces to provide personnel and resources to help with Type 3 firefighting and evacuation, logistics, planning and co-ordination support.
The Canadian Coast Guard is also offering equipment, including water pumps.
The federal government also says it's funding response and recovery activities for eligible First Nations communities through Indigenous Services Canada's Emergency Management Assistance Program.
Communities spring into action to help N.W.T. wildfire evacuees
Thu, August 17, 2023
Communities receiving Northwest Territories residents fleeing wildfires are springing into action to help, whether it's offering clothes, camping spaces or pet food.
Some 20,000 residents of the capital of Yellowknife have been ordered to leave by noon Friday. In recent days, thousands more were ordered out of communities close to the Alberta boundary.
Many people are without key belongings and looking for pit stops as they travel great distances to larger centres in Alberta.
"It's been kind of a state of chaos for the last couple of weeks with these fires," Yellowknife evacuee Kelsey Worth said over the phone as she made her way to Calgary.
Worth left Wednesday morning, earlier than most, because she didn't feel safe. She packed her important belongings and a tent and camped overnight in High Level, Alta., 740 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The town has offered free camping and parking for RVs. It has also opened its sport complex, offering snacks, cots and showers.
"That's probably the first time I've ever evacuated that I've had a shower the first night," Worth said with a chuckle, noting she also had to flee massive flooding that hit High River and other areas in southern Alberta in 2013.
"They were very welcoming in High Level and it took a lot of stress off of us."
Other communities and Albertans have also opened their doors.
Mark Connell is allowing people to camp on his plot of land or use his RV near Manning, Alta., south of High Level.
Connell said friends from Yellowknife are on their way. He's also fielded inquiries from families.
"As of now, I've got six people coming, and whoever else shows up."
He said he has lots of friends in Yellowknife and wanted to help in any way he could.
"I'm a volunteer firefighter here, so I can kind of relate to what's going on," Connell said.
Some who've fled the N.W.T. are also in the Edmonton area, either staying with family or at nearby evacuation centres. Centres have also opened up in other communities in the province.
Melinda Laboucan with Goba Care, an Edmonton-based organization that offers supports to northerners seeking health care, said she's been busy answering phone calls and collecting donations, including food, clothing, diapers and baby formula.
Support has been overwhelming, she said.
"I just can't believe the amount of Albertans just wanting to help and support. It's just — wow, I love this," Laboucan said.
She's originally from the N. W.T. and has family there who have left, worried they will lose their homes.
"It's very heartbreaking," she said. "The N.W.T. needs rain."
In Calgary, where evacuation centres have been set up to accommodate at least 5,000 people, charity Parachutes for Pets is gathering supplies for animals.
It has also reached out to boarding kennels to see whether some can offer space.
Melissa David, who runs the charity, said some evacuees may not have taken pet supplies with them. Some shelters may have also closed their doors, she added, noting not all evacuation centres are pet-friendly.
"This is what we're here for," David said. "As soon as I started getting the messages last night that they were coming our way, I leaped into action."
In Fort McMurray, a city that was ravaged by wildfire seven years ago, residents have also offered help.
Michel Labine, who left the territory over the weekend for the northeastern Alberta city, said people have given him and others new clothes at an evacuation centre.
“They’ve all lived through (evacuation) before. They know what it’s about,” Labine said.
Meanwhile, Worth said she plans to hunker down in a trailer once she reaches her destination.
She's hoping for the best as everyone gets through the next few days.
"The fire is concerning," she said. "I'm kind of avoiding looking at anything fire-related today. I just need a break for my mental sanity after the last 48 hours."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2023.
— With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Saskatoon, Bill Graveland in Calgary and Jamin Mike in Edmonton
Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press
Thu, August 17, 2023
Heavy smoke from nearby wildfires fills the sky in Yellowknife on Tuesday. (Angela Gzowski/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is convening a high-level emergency meeting to discuss the wildfire situation in the Northwest Territories.
On Wednesday Yellowknife residents were ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approached. The extraordinary evacuation order affects nearly 22,000 people.
According to his itinerary, Trudeau, who has been on vacation in Tofino, B.C., will convene the Incident Response Group, made up of high-ranking officials and cabinet ministers.
A source speaking on background said it's the most serious type of meeting the prime minister can hold.
The Incident Response Group is described as "a dedicated, emergency committee that will convene in the event of a national crisis or during incidents elsewhere that have major implications for Canada" and has previously met on how to handle the 2022 blockades in Ottawa, the shooting down of Flight PS752 in Iran and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
A spokesperson for the Department of National Defence said Thursday they don't have details yet on what role it will play in the emergency evacuations. The Canadian Armed Forces has about 120 members deployed to the territory.
"Basically, the situation is very fluid and evolving quickly," said Jessica Lamirande.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has four aircraft that could help with evacuations and one on standby. They include:
One CC-130 J Hercules in based in Yellowknife.
One CC-138 Twin Otter in based in Yellowknife
Two CH-146 Griffon helicopters in based in Yellowknife.
One CH-146 Griffon helicopter based in Edmonton on 12 hours' notice to move.
Several CC-130J Hercules transport aircraft sit on the tarmac at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. The military are sending pre-operation troops to help out with wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The plane will land at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.
A CC-130J Hercules transport aircraft sit on the tarmac at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on May 4, 2016. A similar aircraft is in Yellowknife. (Lars Hagberg/Canadian Press)
Earlier this week Defence Minister Bill Blair also authorized the Canadian Armed Forces to provide personnel and resources to help with Type 3 firefighting and evacuation, logistics, planning and co-ordination support.
The Canadian Coast Guard is also offering equipment, including water pumps.
The federal government also says it's funding response and recovery activities for eligible First Nations communities through Indigenous Services Canada's Emergency Management Assistance Program.
An entire Canadian city is being evacuated due to wildfire — here’s how you can help
Yellowknife residents have been ordered to evacuate as raging wildfires approach the city.
Northwest Territories officials ordered a phased evacuation of over 20,000 residents in the province’s capital on Wednesday.
“The fire continues to advance and now burns approximately 17 kilometres outside the city,” Northwest Territories Minister of Environment and Climate Change Shane Thompson told reporters at a presser Wednesday night. “Without rain, it is possible it will reach the city outskirts by the weekend.”
The provincial government says residents should evacuate parts of Yellowknife according to risk.
“Residents living along the Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and Engle Business District are currently at highest risk and should evacuate as soon as possible,” reads the evacuation order. “Other residents have until noon on Friday, August 18, 2023, to evacuate.
The province advises residents to ensure they have a full tank of gas before leaving Yellowknife.
It adds that if there are smoky conditions, residents evacuating by highway will be escorted from Yellowknife through the active fire zone.
Residents who can’t leave the city by road can register for an air evacuation. This can include the immunocompromised or anyone with “a condition that puts them at higher
risk of severe outcomes.”
As for people who wish to stay in the city, the provincial government says there will be facilities in Yellowknife to shelter in place.
So, what can you do to help people in Yellowknife?
Indigenous TikToker Morgan Dawn has been raising awareness about NWT wildfires. They live in N’dilo, one of the communities ordered to evacuate.
They say that an aspect of the wildfires that complicates the situation for people that live in First Nations communities is that they don’t have mailing addresses.
“We are unable to get mail; we’re unable to insure our homes because we simply do not have an address,” they explained. “We are not able to get the same support as houses uptown would if they were to catch on fire.”
They are advising people to donate to the United Way Northwest Territories. Daily Hive hasn’t found any other official sources Canadians can contribute to, but will update this story if we do.
Local media Cabin Radio also has an incredibly detailed guide to support Yellowknife evacuees.
Isabelle Learned
Aug 17 2023
Wildfire in Hay River, Northwest Territories
Aug 17 2023
Wildfire in Hay River, Northwest Territories
(Ash's Dawn Scarlet/Facebook | (@birdsnorthof60/TikTok)
Yellowknife residents have been ordered to evacuate as raging wildfires approach the city.
Northwest Territories officials ordered a phased evacuation of over 20,000 residents in the province’s capital on Wednesday.
“The fire continues to advance and now burns approximately 17 kilometres outside the city,” Northwest Territories Minister of Environment and Climate Change Shane Thompson told reporters at a presser Wednesday night. “Without rain, it is possible it will reach the city outskirts by the weekend.”
The provincial government says residents should evacuate parts of Yellowknife according to risk.
“Residents living along the Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and Engle Business District are currently at highest risk and should evacuate as soon as possible,” reads the evacuation order. “Other residents have until noon on Friday, August 18, 2023, to evacuate.
The province advises residents to ensure they have a full tank of gas before leaving Yellowknife.
It adds that if there are smoky conditions, residents evacuating by highway will be escorted from Yellowknife through the active fire zone.
Residents who can’t leave the city by road can register for an air evacuation. This can include the immunocompromised or anyone with “a condition that puts them at higher
risk of severe outcomes.”
As for people who wish to stay in the city, the provincial government says there will be facilities in Yellowknife to shelter in place.
So, what can you do to help people in Yellowknife?
Indigenous TikToker Morgan Dawn has been raising awareness about NWT wildfires. They live in N’dilo, one of the communities ordered to evacuate.
They say that an aspect of the wildfires that complicates the situation for people that live in First Nations communities is that they don’t have mailing addresses.
“We are unable to get mail; we’re unable to insure our homes because we simply do not have an address,” they explained. “We are not able to get the same support as houses uptown would if they were to catch on fire.”
They are advising people to donate to the United Way Northwest Territories. Daily Hive hasn’t found any other official sources Canadians can contribute to, but will update this story if we do.
Local media Cabin Radio also has an incredibly detailed guide to support Yellowknife evacuees.
Communities spring into action to help N.W.T. wildfire evacuees
Thu, August 17, 2023
Communities receiving Northwest Territories residents fleeing wildfires are springing into action to help, whether it's offering clothes, camping spaces or pet food.
Some 20,000 residents of the capital of Yellowknife have been ordered to leave by noon Friday. In recent days, thousands more were ordered out of communities close to the Alberta boundary.
Many people are without key belongings and looking for pit stops as they travel great distances to larger centres in Alberta.
"It's been kind of a state of chaos for the last couple of weeks with these fires," Yellowknife evacuee Kelsey Worth said over the phone as she made her way to Calgary.
Worth left Wednesday morning, earlier than most, because she didn't feel safe. She packed her important belongings and a tent and camped overnight in High Level, Alta., 740 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The town has offered free camping and parking for RVs. It has also opened its sport complex, offering snacks, cots and showers.
"That's probably the first time I've ever evacuated that I've had a shower the first night," Worth said with a chuckle, noting she also had to flee massive flooding that hit High River and other areas in southern Alberta in 2013.
"They were very welcoming in High Level and it took a lot of stress off of us."
Other communities and Albertans have also opened their doors.
Mark Connell is allowing people to camp on his plot of land or use his RV near Manning, Alta., south of High Level.
Connell said friends from Yellowknife are on their way. He's also fielded inquiries from families.
"As of now, I've got six people coming, and whoever else shows up."
He said he has lots of friends in Yellowknife and wanted to help in any way he could.
"I'm a volunteer firefighter here, so I can kind of relate to what's going on," Connell said.
Some who've fled the N.W.T. are also in the Edmonton area, either staying with family or at nearby evacuation centres. Centres have also opened up in other communities in the province.
Melinda Laboucan with Goba Care, an Edmonton-based organization that offers supports to northerners seeking health care, said she's been busy answering phone calls and collecting donations, including food, clothing, diapers and baby formula.
Support has been overwhelming, she said.
"I just can't believe the amount of Albertans just wanting to help and support. It's just — wow, I love this," Laboucan said.
She's originally from the N. W.T. and has family there who have left, worried they will lose their homes.
"It's very heartbreaking," she said. "The N.W.T. needs rain."
In Calgary, where evacuation centres have been set up to accommodate at least 5,000 people, charity Parachutes for Pets is gathering supplies for animals.
It has also reached out to boarding kennels to see whether some can offer space.
Melissa David, who runs the charity, said some evacuees may not have taken pet supplies with them. Some shelters may have also closed their doors, she added, noting not all evacuation centres are pet-friendly.
"This is what we're here for," David said. "As soon as I started getting the messages last night that they were coming our way, I leaped into action."
In Fort McMurray, a city that was ravaged by wildfire seven years ago, residents have also offered help.
Michel Labine, who left the territory over the weekend for the northeastern Alberta city, said people have given him and others new clothes at an evacuation centre.
“They’ve all lived through (evacuation) before. They know what it’s about,” Labine said.
Meanwhile, Worth said she plans to hunker down in a trailer once she reaches her destination.
She's hoping for the best as everyone gets through the next few days.
"The fire is concerning," she said. "I'm kind of avoiding looking at anything fire-related today. I just need a break for my mental sanity after the last 48 hours."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2023.
— With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Saskatoon, Bill Graveland in Calgary and Jamin Mike in Edmonton
Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
Wed, August 16, 2023
YELLOWKNIFE — Some 20,000 residents in the capital of the Northwest Territories have been ordered to leave by Friday as wildfire danger in the region intensifies.
The evacuation order issued Wednesday night applies to the city of Yellowknife and neighbouring First Nations communities of Ndilo and Dettah.
"I want to be clear that the city is not in immediate danger and there is a safe window for residents to leave the city by road and by air," Shane Thompson, the territory's minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, told a news conference.
He said the blaze had been advancing since it breached a firebreak over the weekend and was burning about 17 kilometres outside the city. Thompson added that, without rain, it was possible the fire would reach the city's outskirts by the weekend.
The N.W.T. government said residents living along Ingraham Trail and in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle Business District were at highest risk and should evacuate as soon as possible.
It said other residents had until noon Friday to leave.
"You put yourself and others at risk if you choose to stay later," said Thompson.
The evacuation order said it was safe for people to start leaving by road right away.
"If there are smoky conditions, residents evacuating by highway will be escorted from Yellowknife through the active fire zone," it said.
Evacuation flights were being made available, but the government said only those who don't have the option of leaving by road should register. People who are immunocompromised or have a condition that puts them at higher risk were encouraged to sign up for the flights.
Air evacuations were set to begin Thursday afternoon.
"I can appreciate that everybody wants to be on the first flight out, but please follow the instructions so that everyone can evacuate in a timely manner," said Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty.
"We don't want to cause congestion by having people come when they're not supposed to be there."
An evacuation centre was set up at the Yellowknife Multiplex for evacuees from Dettah and the Ingraham Trail. Facilities in the city were also available for residents who wished to stay, but the government said those services would be temporary.
It added that evacuation by boat to an island or cabin was not recommended because air quality was expected to decline.
The city also posted online that it was immediately suspending its residential garbage collection, trucked water and sewer services and transit.
Residents of three western Yellowknife neighbourhoods had been on evacuation notice since Tuesday, when the territorial government declared a state of emergency, allowing it to access resources to combat what it called an unprecedented wildfire season
The N.W.T. has been grappling with more than 200 wildfires that have already burned an area four times the size of Prince Edward Island.
About 6,800 people in eight other communities, including Fort Smith, Enterprise, Jean Marie River and Hay River, have also been forced from their homes.
In St. Albert, Alta., on Edmonton’s outskirts, Tanisha Edison arrived at a fire evacuation centre after a 19-hour drive from her home in Hay River.
Edison, who is days away from giving birth, said the trek took her through the hamlet of Enterprise, home to about 100 people.
"The town was gone pretty much,” Edison said. “No buildings left. It was just metal frames melting.
“You couldn't even read the signs because … when the fire blew through there, they were all melted.
“Trees were like ashes. Everything was like ashes and on fire.”
About 80 per cent of Enterprise, including homes and businesses, was destroyed but everyone made it out alive, said Blair Porter, the community's senior administrative officer.
“Just a couple days ago, it was a thriving community … now it's all gone. It’s pretty devastating.”
There have been no reports of injuries or fatalities due to the wildfires.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane on Wednesday and they agreed to remain in close contact as the wildfire situation developed.
"The prime minister reaffirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to provide ongoing assistance to the territory and affected communities," a readout from Trudeau's office said.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said in a statement that the province, under threat from its own fires, was working with all western provinces to provide support.
"Our hearts are with the people of the Northwest Territories."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Aug. 16, 2023.
— By Curtis Ng and Jamin Mike in Edmonton
The Canadian Press
‘Real threat to city’: Yellowknife in Canada evacuates as wildfire nears
20,000 residents of capital of Northwest Territories ordered to leave after forecast that wildfire 11 miles away could arrive by the weekend
Tracey Lindeman in Ottawa
20,000 residents of capital of Northwest Territories ordered to leave after forecast that wildfire 11 miles away could arrive by the weekend
Tracey Lindeman in Ottawa
THE GUARDIAN
Thu 17 Aug 2023
Cars leave Yellowknife in Canada after a wildfire evacuation order. Photograph: Pat Kane/Reuters
An evacuation order has been issued for Yellowknife in the north-west of Canada as a wildfire comes closer, with a local minister saying: “The fire now represents a real threat to the city.”
Shane Thompson, the environment and climate change minister for the Northwest Territories, said on Wednesday night that the fire could reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend and was about 17km (11 miles) away.
Teams were also working to evacuate Hay River, a community of 3,000 on Great Slave Lake, by bus or plane on Wednesday night as the fire approached.
Residents in Yellowknife, the capital and only city in the Northwest Territories, were urged to leave as soon as possible as part of a phased evacuation, with those living along the Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and Engle Business District at the highest risk.
Other residents were until noon on Friday to evacuate.
Yellowknife’s mayor, Rebecca Alty, said evacuation flights would begin on Thursday at 1pm and continue until everyone was evacuated. She stressed that the order was being issued early in order to give everyone enough time for an orderly evacuation. “It’s being called now, so that we can allow people the opportunity to drive while the highway is still open. The highway is subject to closures at any time. Conditions will be smoky, and residents should drive with caution and care.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for everyone. Please look out and help one another as you can. If you’re driving, and have space, please consider bringing a friend or pets.”
On Tuesday night, local authorities had declared a territory-wide state of emergency and an evacuation order for the outskirts of Yellowknife, a city with a population of 20,000.
Cars leave Yellowknife in Canada after a wildfire evacuation order. Photograph: Pat Kane/Reuters
An evacuation order has been issued for Yellowknife in the north-west of Canada as a wildfire comes closer, with a local minister saying: “The fire now represents a real threat to the city.”
Shane Thompson, the environment and climate change minister for the Northwest Territories, said on Wednesday night that the fire could reach the outskirts of Yellowknife by the weekend and was about 17km (11 miles) away.
Teams were also working to evacuate Hay River, a community of 3,000 on Great Slave Lake, by bus or plane on Wednesday night as the fire approached.
Residents in Yellowknife, the capital and only city in the Northwest Territories, were urged to leave as soon as possible as part of a phased evacuation, with those living along the Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, Kam Lake, Grace Lake and Engle Business District at the highest risk.
Other residents were until noon on Friday to evacuate.
Yellowknife’s mayor, Rebecca Alty, said evacuation flights would begin on Thursday at 1pm and continue until everyone was evacuated. She stressed that the order was being issued early in order to give everyone enough time for an orderly evacuation. “It’s being called now, so that we can allow people the opportunity to drive while the highway is still open. The highway is subject to closures at any time. Conditions will be smoky, and residents should drive with caution and care.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for everyone. Please look out and help one another as you can. If you’re driving, and have space, please consider bringing a friend or pets.”
On Tuesday night, local authorities had declared a territory-wide state of emergency and an evacuation order for the outskirts of Yellowknife, a city with a population of 20,000.
A wildfire burns in Hay River, Northern Territories, on 15 August. Photograph: Morgan Monkman/Reuters
“We find ourselves in a crisis situation and our government is using every tool available to assist,” said Thompson.
The town of Enterprise had been 90% destroyed, while the nearby community of Hay River was “running out of time” to evacuate, said mayor Kandis Jameson on Tuesday.
A family escaping from Hay River said their car began melting around them as they drove away after an evacuation order was issued on Sunday. “It was honestly insane. When I got out of our vehicle in Enterprise, I just cried,” a woman told CBC.
Falling ash and visible smoke were likely in Yellowknife as the 163,000-hectare (402,000-acre) fire spread.
Some people had to be airlifted to safety. One man told a CBC radio reporter that he was sent to an evacuation centre more than 600 miles from home, in northern Alberta. “They’re dispersing us all over the place,” he said.
Yellowknife is roughly 250 miles south of the edge of the Arctic Circle.
This summer alone, Northwest Territories has seen more than 2m hectares burned – a figure that is set to increase, with 236 wildfires currently active across the territory.
July saw the hottest day ever recorded in the far north of the country when Fort Good Hope – a community about 500 miles north-west of Yellowknife – hit 37.4C.
Western Canada is enduring a heatwave that saw 19 daily temperature records broken on Tuesday and is fuelling hundreds of out-of-control wildfires.
In the Pacific province of British Columbia around 80 people were forced to shelter in place in a mountain guesthouse after their only way out was cut off by a rapidly expanding blaze.
The stranded people, including lodge guests and campers from nearby campgrounds, sheltered overnight at the Cathedral Lakes Lodge near Keremeos in the south of the province before being brought down the mountain in vehicles on Wednesday afternoon.
Blazes have engulfed parts of nearly all 13 Canadian provinces and territories this year, forcing home evacuations, disrupting oil and gas production, and drawing in federal as well as international firefighting crews.
“We find ourselves in a crisis situation and our government is using every tool available to assist,” said Thompson.
The town of Enterprise had been 90% destroyed, while the nearby community of Hay River was “running out of time” to evacuate, said mayor Kandis Jameson on Tuesday.
A family escaping from Hay River said their car began melting around them as they drove away after an evacuation order was issued on Sunday. “It was honestly insane. When I got out of our vehicle in Enterprise, I just cried,” a woman told CBC.
Falling ash and visible smoke were likely in Yellowknife as the 163,000-hectare (402,000-acre) fire spread.
Some people had to be airlifted to safety. One man told a CBC radio reporter that he was sent to an evacuation centre more than 600 miles from home, in northern Alberta. “They’re dispersing us all over the place,” he said.
Yellowknife is roughly 250 miles south of the edge of the Arctic Circle.
This summer alone, Northwest Territories has seen more than 2m hectares burned – a figure that is set to increase, with 236 wildfires currently active across the territory.
July saw the hottest day ever recorded in the far north of the country when Fort Good Hope – a community about 500 miles north-west of Yellowknife – hit 37.4C.
Western Canada is enduring a heatwave that saw 19 daily temperature records broken on Tuesday and is fuelling hundreds of out-of-control wildfires.
In the Pacific province of British Columbia around 80 people were forced to shelter in place in a mountain guesthouse after their only way out was cut off by a rapidly expanding blaze.
The stranded people, including lodge guests and campers from nearby campgrounds, sheltered overnight at the Cathedral Lakes Lodge near Keremeos in the south of the province before being brought down the mountain in vehicles on Wednesday afternoon.
Blazes have engulfed parts of nearly all 13 Canadian provinces and territories this year, forcing home evacuations, disrupting oil and gas production, and drawing in federal as well as international firefighting crews.
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